Top 10 Finance Courses for College Students
Check out the best finance courses online for college students in 2025. Build skills in accounting, investment basics, and financial planning.
Look, finance isn't just for business majors anymore. Every employer wants people who can understand budgets and make smart money decisions, no matter what field you're in. The cool thing is that finance courses online make it super easy to learn this stuff now. You can take Yale's Financial Markets course from a Nobel Prize winner, or jump into something practical like Michigan's Personal Finance program that actually teaches you how to budget. Whether you want an accounting course that breaks things down simply or need to learn investment basics without the confusing jargon, there are tons of options that fit around your regular classes.
Top 10 Finance Courses for College Students
Check these top 10 finance courses available across various platforms, along with the platforms they are offered on and their duration.
S. No. | Course / Program Name | Platform / Provider | Duration / Format |
1 | Financial Markets | Yale University via Coursera | Self-paced, approx. 7-10 weeks |
2 | Introduction to Personal Finance | University of Michigan via edX | Self-paced, 6 weeks (5–6 hrs/week) |
3 | Finance for Non-Finance Professionals | University of California, Irvine via Coursera | 6 hours |
4 | Behavioral Finance | Duke University via Coursera | 5 hours |
5 | Fintech: Foundations & Applications | University of Pennsylvania via Coursera | Varies (6 weeks) |
6 | Introduction to Time Value of Money | University of Michigan via Coursera | Varies (self-paced) |
7 | Careers in Finance | Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) | Self-paced intro course |
8 | The Complete Financial Analyst Course | Udemy | Varies — often 10+ hours |
9 | Applying Data Analytics in Finance | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Varies (free access) |
10 | Personal Finance Essentials | McGill University (self-hosted or partner) | Self-paced (modules) |
These were some of the top finance courses along with their duration and platforms. Now that we have some idea, why not learn more about them, like what skills they offer and the outcomes after completing the course, so that choosing the one that suits your career goals becomes easy.
1. Yale's Financial Markets Course on Coursera
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Market structures, bonds, stocks, behavioral finance, and investment basics. |
What you will get | Free access to lectures by Nobel laureate Robert Shiller, plus certificate (paid option). |
Duration | Self-paced, approx. 7–10 weeks. |
Outcome | Build a solid foundation in financial markets that can help in CFA or higher studies. |
2. Personal Finance Basics from University of Michigan (edX)
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Budgeting, loans, savings, credit, and financial planning. |
What you will get | Beginner-friendly finance course online with practical tips. |
Duration | Self-paced, 6 weeks (5–6 hours per week). |
Outcome | Learn how to manage money effectively and make smart personal finance decisions. |
3. Finance for Non-Finance Majors - UC Irvine via Coursera
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Introduction to corporate finance, accounting statements, and time value of money. |
What you will get | Easy-to-follow accounting course for beginners. |
Duration | Around 6 hours (self-paced). |
Outcome | Understand finance basics even without prior knowledge of accounting. |
4. Duke University's Behavioral Finance Program
Feature | Details |
What it covers | How psychology affects investments, risk perception, and decision-making. |
What you will get | Short finance course online with real-world examples. |
Duration | 5 hours. |
Outcome | Learn how emotions impact financial choices and avoid common investing mistakes. |
5. University of Pennsylvania's Fintech Course (Coursera)
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Digital payments, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and AI in finance. |
What you will get | A modern finance course online that introduces tech-driven finance careers. |
Duration | 6 weeks (self-paced). |
Outcome | Gain skills relevant to fintech jobs and emerging finance technologies. |
6. Time Value of Money - Michigan's Coursera Program
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Present value, future value, annuities, and compound interest—key investment basics. |
What you will get | Step-by-step learning with practice quizzes. |
Duration | Self-paced modules. |
Outcome | Understand the foundation of investing and decision-making in finance. |
7. CFI's Careers in Finance Introduction Course
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Overview of finance roles, analyst jobs, and CFA career path. |
What you will get | Free beginner finance course online with career guidance. |
Duration | Self-paced. |
Outcome | Helps students choose between careers in corporate finance, banking, or investment. |
8. Complete Financial Analyst Training (Udemy)
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Excel for finance, financial modeling, accounting, and valuation. |
What you will get | Practical accounting course with hands-on assignments. |
Duration | 10+ hours. |
Outcome | Gain real-world analyst skills that prepare you for internships or jobs. |
9. Data Analytics in Finance from University of Illinois
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Data analysis, risk modeling, time series, and forecasting. |
What you will get | Interactive finance course online with analytical focus. |
Duration | Self-paced. |
Outcome | Learn to apply data-driven methods in finance careers and higher studies. |
10. McGill's Personal Finance Essentials Program
Feature | Details |
What it covers | Budgeting, investing, credit management, and crypto awareness. |
What you will get | A free modular finance course online with certification. |
Duration | Self-paced modules. |
Outcome | Build lifelong money management and investment basics. |
So that's your lineup of the best finance courses out there. My advice? Pick the one or two that sound most interesting and just start. Whether it's mastering investment basics or getting comfortable with an accounting course, these finance courses online are going to make you way more confident when talking to employers. Trust me, it's worth the time investment.